What size cup is used for a cappuccino or a latte?

Common café sizes: espresso 60 to 90 ml, cortado and piccolo 120 to 150 ml, flat white and cappuccino about 150 to 250 ml, latte 250 to 350 ml or more, and long black or pour-over 250 to 350 ml. Match the cup to the recipe, then add a little headroom for foam.

How many cups should a new café order?

A common starting point is two to three cups per seat for each hot drink size you serve, so the dishwasher can keep up at peak, plus about ten percent spare for breakage.

Is stoneware or porcelain better for a café?

Both are high fired and suited to daily service. Porcelain is thinner and brighter; stoneware is denser, heavier and more textured, and holds warmth in the hand. Many independent cafés choose handmade stoneware for character.

Where can I buy ceramic mugs and plates for a café in the Philippines?

Mass-produced cups come from home stores and online marketplaces. For handmade Philippine stoneware made for service, AWIS supplies cafés and restaurants with handmade mugs, cups, bowls and plates; trade pricing on enquiry.

Can handmade cups go in a commercial dishwasher?

High fired stoneware is dishwasher and microwave safe. Load cups so they don't knock against each other, and avoid sudden shocks from very hot to very cold.

Guide · 11 November 2026

Mugs and Plates
for a Café

Sizes for each drink, how many pieces to order, stoneware or porcelain, and where to buy handmade ceramics in the Philippines.

Handmade stoneware cups, bowls and plates set for service, made in the Philippines

The short answer. Choose cup sizes from your recipes, order two to three cups per seat for each hot drink size plus about ten percent spare, and pick one material for the whole counter. For handmade Philippine stoneware made for service, see AWIS for cafés and restaurants.

Start from the menu

Write down every drink and its volume, including foam. Then group them. Most cafés manage with three cup sizes: a small cup for espresso drinks and cortados, a medium for flat whites and cappuccinos, and a large for lattes, long blacks and pour-over.

Espresso: 60 to 90 ml.
Cortado, piccolo: 120 to 150 ml.
Flat white, cappuccino: about 150 to 250 ml.
Latte, long black, pour-over: 250 to 350 ml or more.

How many to order

Count seats, not tables. Two to three cups per seat for each hot drink size lets the dishwasher keep up at peak. Add about ten percent for breakage, and keep a few spares of each form in the back.

Stoneware or porcelain

Porcelain is thin, white and consistent. Stoneware is denser and heavier, with glaze that varies from piece to piece. It feels warm in the hand and photographs well. Both are high fired and suited to service. What matters most is that the forms stay consistent, so replacements match.

Plates and bowls

Choose plates by the plating, not the menu name: a 26 to 28 cm dinner plate, a 20 to 22 cm salad or dessert plate, and bowls for soup, pasta and rice. Fewer forms used across many dishes is easier to stack, wash and replace.

Where to buy

Home stores and marketplaces carry mass-produced cups. Local potters take commissions. AWIS supplies handmade Philippine stoneware for service: mugs and cups from 250 to 480 ml, bowls, plates, pitchers and teapots, with trade pricing on enquiry. For independent cafés, see handmade cups for coffee shops. See The Table and the house mugs.

Mugs and Platesfor a Café